The well-advertised upper-level low pressure area that I’ve been talking about all week is on the move…albeit slowly, as is typical with these lumbering big upper level systems. Water vapor satellite imagery early Wednesday morning shows the center of the low pressure area near Minneapolis, and it will gradually track southeast across the Lower Peninsula over the next two days.
In terms of what the moving pressure area means for our weather, we’ll start our Wednesday with some sunshine, and then clouds will increase through the afternoon. As long as we keep that sunshine long enough, highs should reach the upper 50s, with a southwest wind moving at 8 to 13 mph.
Wednesday’s sunset is at 8:14 p.m.
It will be mostly cloudy overall Wednesday night, with at least the chance for some light rain showers and possibly wet snowflakes late at night. Lows will be in the mid 30s. West winds will blow at 4 to 8 mph.
Wet end to the week
Rain and wet snow showers Thursday morning will transition to just rain showers for the rest of the day. It’ll be a raw, chilly day on Thursday, with highs in the upper 40s -- that won’t be helped at all by a west wind that will move at 10 to 15 mph.
Rain showers Thursday night may once again mix with some wet snowflakes. Lows will be in the mid 30s.
Some of us, most notably in the Thumb, will start Friday with some lingering showers and possible wet snowflakes, but those should wane as the day progresses. The Thumb region will be the last to see them move out. Highs will rebound into the mid 50s.
It will become partly cloudy Friday night, with lows in the upper 30s.
Weekend forecast
I still think we’ll start Saturday with at least partial sunshine, followed by increasing clouds. Highs will near 60 degrees.
A scattered shower is possible Saturday night, with lows in the low 40s.
It will be mostly cloudy on Sunday, and it’s still not entirely clear if we’ll see a few light showers. Highs will be near 60 degrees.
Long-term outlook
After getting spoiled by those 70s last week, some people are complaining about cooling off back to average April temperatures, and are wondering when we’ll go back above average. I had a chance to study some of the longer range computer models on Wednesday, and it appears that we’ll stay close to average April temps through next week.
But wait, there’s more!
The models also suggest a nice warming trend back above average the following week, possibly as early as next weekend. Stay tuned...but it looks promising!
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